Changes in Liturgy

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Hi.

The parish I attend got a new parish priest during the summer of 2017. After that, quite some changes to have things are done were made. Some of the good ones are that he offers Confession and daily mass almost every weekday. At the same time there now are cathechesis groups for each year between first Communion and Confirmation as well. But there are some bad sides to this. During some of the Sunday Masses, the homily mainly consists of him asking the children questions and them answering so we all hear it on the speakers. And then, if a child answers something he likes he asks people to applaud it - and people do. Sometimes the usage of guitars is more than I prefer it to be. I see that he probably has good intentions of reaching the young people and make it easier for them to participate during Mass, but what about all of us that don´t have children and just want to attend Mass for the sake of just serving God and spending time doing His will. Personally, I would have much better use of a homily that gave me something to think about - that left me with something I could have in mind.

There have also been started a choir in Church that sings a lot of the leading verses that priests usually sings to lead the parish through the hymn.

Especially when I know there is a childrens´ Mass, my family and I myself would like to go to another parish to not have to deal with this kind of Liturgy. If it wasn´t for the fact that going to SSPX would be quite unpractical for us, then we would definitely consider it.

Do any of you have some kind of comment to this so I know whether this is something that happens in other parishes or if it´s something mainly going on where I live?

Thanks in advance of taking the time to answer 🙂
 
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I understand from your post that not all the Masses are like this, so you do still have the opportunity in this particular parish to attend Mass that is more to your liking.

Before I continue, as far as I know there is nothing wrong with any of the stuff you mentioned you didn’t like. I don’t like some of these things either, so I get where you’re coming from.

I also want to say that the primary purpose of the Mass is to worship God. If we get something out of a particular Mass, that’s great, but if not that doesn’t diminish the value of attending.

All that said, your priest needs to shepherd the entire parish, not just you and your family, and he has apparently decided that having some of the Masses offered in your parish geared primarily towards the children is the way to do that. If all the Masses were children’s liturgies that would be one thing, but in your parish there are also “normal” Masses that seem to satisfy your desire for something to think about. It’s possible that those Masses aren’t reaching the children in a way they can access, so then it would make sense to offer a liturgy where they can learn something too.

Could you attend a different Mass in your parish? I imagine there is at least one Saturday evening Mass and one Sunday Mass, and that they aren’t both children’s Masses. If so, you could attend the one that isn’t. This is what I do in my own parish, if my schedule allows it. If not and there’s no other possibility that doesn’t involve the SSPX, then I attend the children’s Mass and worship God, considering that it’s the children’s turn to get something to think about and my turn will come around again the following weekend. 🙂

You’ve listed a few changes Father has made that you’ve found beneficial, but others have different needs and your priest does well to attempt to address those too.
 
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I haven´t personally discussed this with him but someone from my family mentioned something about it in an email and were not exactly met with understanding.
 
Kima said:
There have also been started a choir in Church that sings a lot of the leading verses that priests usually sings to lead the parish through the hymn.
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This isn’t a thing, I’ve never heard of this once or ever been to a parish where the Priest “leads the parish through the hymn”. That’s what a choir and cantor are for . . . . .
 
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My parish sings the Mass parts in Greek/Latin once per month as the members have asked for it. Feasts or solemnities in Latin as well. Since there are so many more children in the CCD classes, as well as parish members, we have added a family mass two Sundays/month. (Before that the Sunday high mass were Family masses twice/month.)

What I have seen work well in my parish during Masses with lots of younger children, is that the priest has a “question-answer” homily with the children and then “some minutes for the adults”. This works great as we have a lot of people who don’t speak the vernacular language well enough to understand a “normal” homily.
 
A lot of Churches near me do the Holy Holy Holy, in Latin (Sanctus…) as well as the Mystery of Faith and Angus Dei. Also the Gloria in Latin at one parish
 
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Kima said:
someone from my family mentioned something about it in an email and were not exactly met with understanding.
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If anyone is going to say something about this, it’s best to do so in person, in my opinion. So much can be misunderstood when people participating in the conversation can’t see each other.
 
I see, but I guess I´m just going to leave it the way it is as I don´t want any argument or anything like that. I guess I´ll just go Saturday or during the childrens Mass.
 
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We aren’t at mass for the music or for how the Priest talks or where people sit or if there are donuts and coffee after mass. We go for Jesus. We humbly go to thank and praise the Living God in His great love, healing compassion, and infinite mercies
 
One thing is childrens Mass but another thing is applauding the answers they give. I don´t think that is Church appropriate.
 
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I feel the same way, but I just wish they could have this during coffee after Mass or something instead.
 
GospelOfMatthew said:
We aren’t at mass for the music or for how the Priest talks or where people sit
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Yep.
or if there are donuts and coffee after mass.
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Hey! Let’s not get carried away here! 🤣😜😱

hawk, who has yet to find a parish with non-horrible coffee (although byzantine coffee seems to be about 30% less horrible . . . where in the world do you still find perpetual reboilers and scalders, err, coffee urns turned on a full hour ahead of use, other than Catholic Churches???)
 
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dochawk said:
hawk, who has yet to find a parish with non-horrible coffee (although byzantine coffee seems to be about 30% less horrible . . . where in the world do you still find perpetual reboilers and scalders, err, coffee urns turned on a full hour ahead of use, other than Catholic Churches???)
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Come visit us. We use a Keurig. Current coffee is Peets. Not being a coffee drinker, I have no idea if it is horrible or not. But I do know that it doesn’t get reboiled.
 
Kima said:
I feel the same way, but I just wish they could have this during coffee after Mass or something instead.
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Mixed feelings here. Evangelical and Pentecostal churches often have a less formal service Sunday and/or Wednesday evening. I wish RC parishes had regular parish gatherings on a regular basis, other than at a Mass. You might do things like Child Church, and other things

But we never have that.
 
I agree. Might I suggest the OP contact his bishop about reporting possible liturgical abuses?
 
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